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Same here. I used the largest drill bit that didn't go
beyond the edges I wanted cut out. Then I went to
work with a file to finish shaping the openings. Take
your time with the file and give it a nice, clean edge.

Dremel,xacto and small file.
Start with the dremel make a hole in
center of each vent and then use xacto to trim more of plastic away and then to the small file to square off the edges of each vent.
Thats how i did it on my personal Fett helmet:-)

Wait until you get your FB helmet, jawafive. A nice one is so delectable that you'll want to do everything you can to make it look great. I didn't do this for the last helmet, though, so I guess I'm not burned out yet! Probably will be after these vents are finished.

Thanks for the advice, Yautja! I'm definitely going to do use the dremel/exacto/file method...when I'm very sober and alert!

Two words: needle files. You can normally get a set of them for under &#36;10. Take your time as a little goes a long way when trimming tiny details like this. It is better to undercut them all first and then go back to widen them than to overcut the first one and then have to do the same to the rest to even them out.

Needle files? What kind of store/department would sell these?Maybe in an arts and crafts section of Wally World? They sound like a good idea. I was thinking of using one of those cheap, really thin fingernail files, but that won't help with smoothing out the protruding divot.

Quote:So you are supposed to cut them out !!!.. I was'nt sure about that

You can cut them out and buy a &#36;100 20 year old Casio MQ-1 calculator, butcher it, and put the circuit board behind there for accuracy. Remember, FettTheHunter, at all cost this costume should NEVER end!! It's NEVER finished!!! (running down the street, ripping my clothes off!)

I just went to the local computer shop, got a couple of old cards that were broken, and picked the one that I thought looked the best stuck behind the vents. No one will ever notice that it's not from a Casio.
As for cutting out the vents.......Dremel, Dremel, oh & Dremel.
It's never easy making that first step to cut something out of a helmet..(or anything for that matter)..Indecision and uncertainty are the bane of the Fett maker, but once you do it you'll wonder what all the worry was about.

I used the flexible black screen stuff for like screen porches or doors on my Trooper and Fett helmets. It comes in little patch kits or a big roll. I just bought the roll so i would have some whenever i needed it. If anyone needs some just PM me and i'll send it out to ya for nothin.

Yautja wrote:
I used the flexible black screen stuff for like screen porches or doors on my Trooper and Fett helmets. It comes in little patch kits or a big roll. I just bought the roll so i would have some whenever i needed it. If anyone needs some just PM me and i'll send it out to ya for nothin.

After making 30 or 40 f/g lids,gotta be dremel and needle files.
Bloody tedious,but best result,for sure.
I cut out the slots on my son's spare dp97 tha same way,but an exacto and needle files will suffice.
WEAR A MASK!

I bought a nice set of needle files (&#36;16.97 at Home Depot -- the only set they had, actually!) and after a few rainy afternoons filing away, I finally have a beautiful set of keyholes! I ended up drilling holes along the vent line and then filing away on either side of them until they were gone. It wasn't fast but I think you guys are definitely right -- slow and steady wins the race when taking out the keyholes properly.

Well done Mercutio.........
I'm proud of you,son..........
Every little bit you do yourself,gives you skills you might need later on in your costume making.
As a guy who makes fett items for others,I love to see guys like you,who 'do it themselves'.
all the best..........jon.......

Thanks, Oz! Slowly but surely this costume will be completed!And when it's finally (well, not finished...let go!) I will owe it all to awesome TDHers like you on this board whose suggestions, feedback, talent and enthusiasm keep me going! I may need a support group and counseling to get me through the gloves, though!